Clan Ferguson

SWEETER AFTER DIFFICULTY

The history of clan Fergusson is a fascinating story of ancient kings, brave warriors, and talented poets. Clan Fergusson claims descent from Fergus mor MacErc, a legendary king of the Scots who ruled in Dalriada, a region in western Scotland and northern Ireland. Fergus mor MacErc is said to have brought the Stone of Destiny from Ireland to Scotland, and to have founded the royal line of Scottish kings.

Clan Fergusson has several branches with different origins and heraldry across Scotland. The Fergussons of Argyll, Dumfries and Ayrshire are connected to Fergus of Galloway, a powerful prince who restored Whithorn church and founded Dundrennan Abbey in the 12th century. He was also the ancestor of the Earls of Carrick, who later became the Stewart kings of Scotland. The Fergussons of Argyll display a boar’s head on their shield, symbolizing their link to the early Scots of Dalriada.

The Fergussons of Kilkerran in Ayrshire are the chiefs of the clan, and have held their lands since at least the 15th century. They may be descended from John, son of Fergus, who witnessed a charter of Edward Bruce in 1314 after the Battle of Bannockburn. The Fergussons of Kilkerran have a different coat of arms, featuring three silver boars’ heads on a blue background, with a bee on a thistle as their crest and the motto “Dulcius ex asperis” (Sweeter after difficulties).

The Fergussons of Atholl and Strathardle in Perthshire were loyal supporters of the Jacobite cause, and fought under Montrose in the Civil War and under Bonnie Prince Charlie in the 1715 and 1745 rebellions. They also have a distinct tartan, with a cobalt background and a green stripe.

Clan Fergusson has produced many notable figures in Scottish history, such as Robert Fergusson, a brilliant poet who inspired Robert Burns; Sir James Fergusson, a governor-general of New Zealand; Sir Samuel Ferguson, an Irish poet and scholar; and Adam Ferguson, a philosopher and historian.

Fergussons lay claim to being responsible for Scotland having the Saltire, the white diagonal cross on a blue background, as her flag. Angus MacFergus, a Pictish king descended through his mother from the Dalriadic Fergussons, was a great warrior and in the ninth century extended his overlordship for a time from the

Shetlands to the Humber. At Athelstaneford, in East Lothian, his army faced a much larger army of the Northumbrians and their allies. Some legends say Fergus had a dream and saw a white Saltire cross in a blue sky, others say his men saw it themselves in the sky. They took it as divine favor and an excellent omen and won a crushing victory. Angus MacFergus from then on adopted the white cross and blue background as his own flag and it was eventually to become the flag of all Scotland.

Through emigration, either forced or voluntary, the name Ferguson and its rich heritage have travelled through the world.

Ferguson descendants in the United States and Canada began to rediscover their heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries through Clan societies and highland games.

Motto: Dulcius ex asperis (Sweeter after difficulties)[1]
War cry: Fhearghuis Gu Brath – Fergus forever

Region: Lowlands and Highlands
: Ayrshire, Argyll, Aberdeenshire, Perthshire, Dumfries and Galloway
Plant badge: Little sunflower

Chief: Sir Adam Fergusson of Kilkerran,10th Baronet
: Kilkerran House, Ayrshire